Book-sewing machine



April, 17, 1934. HERR 1,955,384

BOOK SEWING MACHINE Filed Aug. 22, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 17, 1934. I HERR 1,955,384

BOOK SEWING MACHINE Filed Aug. 22, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 April 17, 1934 HERR BOOK SEWING MACHINE Filed Aug. 22, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 gwuento z Par/ 1 14 .Herr

April 17, 1934. p A R 1,955,384

BOOK SEWING MACHINE Filed Aug. 22, 1951- 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 gwumtoz Park A. Herr Patented Apr. 17, 1934 UNETED STATES FATENT QFFICE BQOK- SEWING MACHINE Application August 22,

21 Claims.

This invention relates to book-sewing machines and has for an object to provide a machine which will cleanly and rapidly sew through paper which is stacked to thicknesses of the order of to 1 inches without tearing or mutilating the paper or damaging the machine.

The invention comprises the devices, combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

The features of the invention and the advantages attained thereby will be readily understood by those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a front side elevation of a book-sewing machine embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a front end elevation of the machine. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the machine. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 2, but with the needle down. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the throat-plate and feed-dog of the machine. Fig. 6 is a plan view of the presserfoot and upper feed foot of the machine. Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the drill which is used to form the holes in the paper for the sewing needle of the machine. Fig. 8 is a transverse section through the drill. Figs. 9 and 10 are elevations of the drill point showing the shape of the latter. Fig. 11 is a vertical section through the drill shaft and its bearings and driving pulley. Fig. 12 is a section on the line 12-12, Fig. 11. Fig. 13 is a section on the line 13-43, Fig. 2, showing the drill lubricator in engagement with the drill. Fig. 14 is a face View of the drill lubricator looking in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 13. Fig. 15 is a rear elevation of the bracketarm-head and mechanism carried thereby. Fig. 16 is a section on the line 16-16, Fig. 2. Fig. 1'7 is a section on the line 17 -17. Fig. 2. Figs. 18 and 19 are perspective views of elements of the walking presser mechanism of the machine. Fig. 20 is a vertical sectional view on the line 2020, Fig. 2, and Fig. 21 is a section on the line 2l21, Fig. 2.

The machine is constructed with a frame including the bed 1 from which rises the standard 2 of the bracket-arm 3 terminating in the head 4. Journaled in the bracket-arm 3 is the sewing machine main-shaft 5 carrying the balance wheel 6 and female cone-clutch element 7 which is engaged by the live cone-clutch element 8 carried by the belt-driven pulley 9, controlled as usual by the manually operated lever 19 having the clutch-arm 11 and brake-arm 12; the latter car- 1931, Serial No. 558,756

rying a brake-pad 13 adapted to bear upon the braking surface 14 of the balance wheel 6.

Mounted in the head 4 is the usual reciprocating needle-bar 15 carrying the eye-pointed needle 16 with which the usual oscillatory shuttle 1'7 cooperates to form the well known two-thread lock-stitch; the shuttle carrying a bobbin of under-thread (not shown) in the thread-case 18.

The needle-bar 15 is reciprocated by the usual crank-pin 19 to which is connected the upper end of the link 20 the lower end of which is connected at 21 to the needle-bar.

The needle 16 reciprocates through the hole 22, Fig. 5, in the throat-plate 23 which is formed with a clearance slot 24 for the usual four-motion feeddog 25 actuated by the usual connections with the feed-advancing rock-shaft 26 and feed-lift rockshaft 27. The feed-stroke of the feed-dog 25 is fixed in the present machine and is equal to the distance between the needle 16 and the rotary awl 28 which is located a stitch-length in advance of the needle.

The awl 28 is carried by the rotary and reciprocatory awl-shaft 29 journaled in bearing bushings 30, Figs. 1 and 4, in the head 4. Mounted on top of the head 4 is a bracket 31 in which is journaled on the ball-bearings 32, Fig. 11, a sleeveshaft 33 surrounding the upper end-portion of the awl-shaft 29 and relative to which the awlshaft is free to reciprocate vertically. Fixed to the sleeve-shaft 33 by means of the key 34 and setscrews 35 is the double-grooved belt-pulley 36. The key 34 is T-shaped in end-elevation, Fig. 12; the head of the T being clamped against the outer surface of the sleeve 3 The stem of the T passes through the slot 37 in the sleeve 33 and freely enters the key-slot 38 in the awl-shaft 29 which is thus free to reciprocate while it is being rotated by the pulley 36.

The awl-shaft 29 is connected to reciprocate in unison with the needle-bar 15, as follows:

Fixed to the needle-bar 15, Figs. 1 and 2, is the lateral arm 39 through which the awl-shaft 29 freely passes but is confined against endwise or vertical movement relative to the arm 39 by the top and bottom collars 40.

Provision is made for driving the awl-shaft at a rate of speed of the order of fifty to one-hundred times the speed of reciprocation of the needle. Awl speeds of this order have, to the best of my knowledge, never before been contemplated or used. I have found speeds of this order to be unexpectedly effective with the particular type of awl which I have devised in forming clean holes in paper books up to 1 inches in thickness in (ill rapid succession (80 per minute) without overheating or breakage of the awl. To this end there is mounted on the table 41 a motor 42 independent of the driving means for the sewing machine main-shaft 5. The motor 42 has a doublegrooved belt-pulley 43 fixed to its shaft 44. The double-grooved belt-pulley 43 is connected to a double-grooved belt-pulley 45 on the countershaft 46 by two separate and independent round belts 4'7, 47 which are maintained taut by the separately and independently acting springpressed idlers 48. The counter-shaft 46 is journaled horizontally in a suitable bracket 49 fixed to the standard 2 and carries the double-grooved pulley 50 which is connected to the double-grooved pulley 36 by two separate and independent round belts 51, 51 running overthe separately and inde pendently acting spring-pressed idlers 52. The pulley sizes are preferably so chosen that an awl speed of 8000 R. P. M. may be attained from a motor speed of 1800 R. P. M.; the counter-shaft speed being preferably around 4500 R. P. M. which is suitable for driving the blower fan 53 which has its air discharge outlet 54 connected by the conduit 55 to the nozzle 56 directing an air-current upon the work at the hole-forming and stitching points and serving to blow away the paper chips removed by the awl.

The feature of the independent double belt drive for the awl-shaft safeguards the machine against breakage in case of breakage of one of the awl-driving belts; it being understood that the awl will not penetrate the paper unless it is rotating.

A special form of awl has been devised to work in combination with the needle and feeding mechanisms of the present machine. The awl is preferably formed with a shank 57 and a cylindrical blade 58 having a single side flute 59 of V-form with a rounded bottom 60, Fig. 8, below the center or axis 61 of the awl-blade. The awl is preferably ground to a single fly-cutting point 62, as shown in Figs. 9 and 10; such point lying in the cylindrical surface of the awl-blade or, in other words, having a sweep or radius of action equal to the radius of the drill-blade 58. The awl is made of hardened steel and is preferably chromium plated. It has been found by experiment that such an awl when driven at a speed of the order of 50 to 100 times the speed of reciprocation of the needle will rapidly out clean holes in rapid succession through paper books up to 1 inches in thickness without overheating or breaking at sewing speeds up to 86 stitches per minute. The action of the point 62 is apparently to cut circles of paper from the paper-laminations as it passes through them: the cut-out circles of paper being packed into the large cavity of the single flute 59 which is out below the axial line 61 of the awl-blade to remove the metal from the axial or central core-portion of the awl. The removal of the metal from the core of the awl appears to be further advantageous in facilitating the instant dislodgement of the previously collected paper chips from the awl-flute when the awl strikes the paper in cutting a new hole.

It is preferred to make the throat-plate 23 imperforate in the path of the awl and to make the awl length and stroke such that the point 62 will descend to within a few thousandths of an inch of the throat-plate 23, the needle 16 being depended upon to penetrate the two or three thicknesses of paper which are not encountered by the awl. A firm support is thus supplied for the paper right at the hole-cutting point and this has been found advantageous in cutting clean holes in the paper without mutilating or tearing the paper.

It is important in the hole-forming, feeding and stitching operations of the machine in question, that the paper be held compressed at all times, to avoid tearing of the paper, heating of the awl and loosening of the stitches. To this end there is preferably combined with the awl 28, needle 16 and feed-dog 25, a walking presser-mechanism constructed as follows:

slidably mounted in the head 4, Figs. 6 and 20, is the presser-bar 63 carrying the presser-foot 64 formed with the needle-hole 65 and awl hole 66. The upper end-portion of the presser-bar 63 is guided in the sleeve-member 67 which is slidably mounted in the head 4 and is pressed upon at its upper end by the usual presser-spring 68. Clamped to the presser-bar 63 are the arms 69 of the U-shaped bracket '70 formed with a horizontal slot '71. slidably mounted upon and relative to the presser-bar 63 is the supporting frame 72, Fig. 18, for the walking foot 73 and its carrier-bar '74, which latter is pivotally connected at 75 to the frame 72 and is adapted to swing in the line of feed about such pivotal connection. The bar 74 is steadied at its lower end by the guide-way '76 in the frame 72.

Pivotally connected to the frame '72 at 77 is the bell-crank lever '78, 79, the knee or bend of which I carries the fulcrum-screw 80 slidably received in the slot '71 of the bracket 70 rigid with the presserbar 63. The arm 79 of the bell-crank lever 78, '79 is formed with a slot entered by the roller-stud 81 on the lever 82 fulcrumed at 83 on the stationary frame-bracket 84 and connected by the pitman 85 to the actuating eccentric 86 on the main-shaft 5.

It will be understood that the eccentric 86 will vibrate the lever 82 and the bell-crank 78, 79; and effect the lifting of the presser-feet 64, '73 in alternation. When the presser-foot 64 is lifted, the spring 68 presses the sleeve 6'? down upon the frame 72 which holds the foot '73 down upon the work during the feed-stroke of the dog 25. When the foot 73 is lifted, the downward reaction of the fulcrum-screw 80 upon the U-shaped bracket '70 forces the presser-foot 64 down upon the work. Thus, the work is held compressed at all times during the hole-forming, stitching, and feeding operations, by one or the other of the feet 64, 73; neither one of which feet is lifted before the other is in clamping engagement with the work. The eccentric 86 is timed so that the feed-dog 25 and Walking foot 73 will cooperate to feed the work; the foot 64 being forced down upon the work during the return motion of the dog 25 and foot '73.

To facilitate the hole-forming operation, it is useful to apply a lubricant intermittently to the awl. This is preferably accomplished as follows: Fulcrumed on the pin 8'7, Figs. 2, 13 and 21, carried by the angle-bracket 87 secured to the head 4 is a lever 88 on the lower end of which is mounted a cup 89 filled with a lubricant absorbing pad 90 of felt or the like, a portion of which projects outwardly through an opening 91 in the cup. The lever 88 is formed at its upper end with a cam-incline 92 and is connected by a spring 93 to the head 4. Each time the needle and awl bars 15 and 29 are raised, a pin 94 fixed to the needle-bar 15 engages the cam-incline 92 and swings the lever 88 from the position shown in Fig. 4, to that shown in Figs. 2, 14 and 15, carrying the outwardly projecting portion of the lubricant-pad 90 into side-wiping engagement with the rotating awl 23, thus lubricating the latter.

A plate-glass shield 95 carried by the frame 96 having a lug 97 horizontally pivoted on the pivotpin 87, is provided to protect the eyes of the operator from flying chips dislodged from the awl 28. The pin 87 has a flange 98 which separates the lever 88 from the lug 97 and takes the thrust of the lug 97 caused by the friction washer 99 between the lug 9'7 and the collar 100 on the pin 87. The shield 95 may be tilted upwardly when desired and is frictionally held in any position to which it is shifted.

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention, what I claim herein is:-

1. In a book-sewing machine, stitch-forming mechanism including a reciprocating needle, a reciprocating rotary awl disposed a stitch-length in advance of said needle, means surrounding the path of said awl for compressing the work prior to the descent of the awl and for holding the work compressed until the awl has risen clear of the work, and other means for engaging the compressed and drilled work and holding it compressed as it is fed to the needle.

2. In a book-sewing machine, the combination with stitch-forming mechanism including a reciprocating needle, and feeding mechanism, of a rotary fly-cutting awl having a speed of at least fifty times the speed of reciprocation of said needle.

3. In a book-sewing machine, the combination with stitch-forming mechanism including a reciprocating needle, and feeding mechanism, of a rotary awl having a speed of at least fifty times 'the speed of reciprocation of said needle, said lubricator into engagement with said awl upon each retraction of the latter from the work.

6. In a book-sewing machine, stitch-forming mechanism, including a reciprocating needle, a reciprocating rotary awl, a movably mounted awl-lubricating device including a lubricant absorbing pad, and means for moving said device to carry said pad into side-wiping engagement with said awl at each retraction of the latter from the work.

'7. In a book-sewing machine, stitch-forming mechanism, including a reciprocating needle, a rotary awl, awl-reciprocating mechanism, and an awl-lubricator actuated by said awl-reciprocating .mechanism and movable laterally of said awl into and out of engagement with the latter.

8. In a book-sewing machine, stitch-forming mechanism including a reciprocating needle-bar carrying a needle, a reciprocating rotary awl, an awl lubricator, a lever carrying said lubricator, and a cam-and-follower connection between said reciprocating needle-bar and said lever for vibrating the latter to carry said lubricator into and out of engagement with said awl.

9. In a book-sewing machine, a reciprocating rotary awl, a lubricant receptacle having a side Wall formed with an opening, a lubricant absorbing medium disposed in said receptacle and projecting from said opening, a movable carrier for said receptacle, and means for moving said carrier in timed relation to the reciprocating movement of said rotary awl to carry said lubricator alongside said awl upon each retraction of the latter from the work, whereby the projecting portion of said lubricant absorbing medium is caused to wipe against the side of said rotary awl.

10. In a book sewing machine, a frame, stitch forming mechanism including a needle, an awl, an awl-shaft, a sewing machine main-shaft connected to reciprocate said needle and awl-shaft, a counter-shaft carried by said frame, means for driving said counter-shaft independently of and at a higher speed than the sewing machine mainshaft, speed-increasing means for transmitting power from said counter-shaft to said awl-shaft, a blower-fan driven by said counter-shaft, and an air-discharge pipe leading from said fan to a point adjacent said awl.

11. An awl for book-sewing machines, having a cylindrical blade formed with a single flute in one side only, said flute having a depth greater than the radius of the cylindrical wall of said blade, and means for rotating and reciprocating said awl.

12. An awl for book-sewing machines, having a cylindrical blade formed with a single flute in one side only, said flute being of round bottomed V-form and being deeper than the axis of the cylindrical wall of said blade.

13. An awl for book-sewing machines, having a cylindrical blade formed with a single flute in one side only, said blade being ground to a single fly-cutting point having substantially the radius of the cylindrical wall of said blade.

14. An awl for book-sewing machines, comprising a cylindrical blade formed with a single flute in one side only, said blade being ground to a single fly-cutting point having substantially the radius of the cylindrical wall of said blade, and said flute being of round bottomed V-form and of a depth greater than said radius.

15. In a book-sewing machine, stitch-forming mechanism including a reciprocating needle, feedin mechanism, a reciprocatory and rotary fiy-cutting awl disposed a stitch-length in advance of said needle, and an imperforate plate for supporting the portion of the book in the path of the awl, the down-stroke of the awl terminating slightly above said plate.

16. In a book-sewing machine, stitch-forming mechanism, including a reciprocating needle, feeding mechanism, a reciprocating rotary awl disposed a stitch-length in advance of said needle, and a throat-plate under said needle and awl, said throat-plate being formed with needle and feed apertures and being imperforate in the path of said awl, the down-stroke of said awl terminating slightly above said throat-plate.

17. In a book-sewing machine, means including an awl and needle for simu-taneous1y forming a hole in a book and stitching through a previously formed hole, a four-motion feed-dog, and means for holding the book compressed at all times during the hole-forming, stitching and feeding operations, said means including a walking presser-mechanism having a foot movable with the feed-dog during the feeding movement of the latter from a point alongside the awl-path to a point alongside the needle-path.

18. In a book-sewing machine, stitch-forming mechanism including a reciprocating needle, a throat-plate, a rotary awl disposed parallel to and a stitch-length in advance of said needle, a fourmotion feed-dog, and a walking presser-mechanism cooperating with said awl, needle, feed-dog and throat-plate and constructed and arranged to hold the work compressed at the point where the hole is formed by the awl while such hole is formed and while it is fed. to the needle and until the stitch is formed in such hole and set.

19. In a book-sewing machine, stitch-forming mechanism including a reciprocating needle, a rotary awl disposed a stitch-length in advance of said needle, means for reciprocating said needle and awl in unison, four-motion feeding mechanism including a feed-dog, and a walking presser-mechanism having a foot opposed to and movable with the feed-dog during the feeding stroke, said feed-dog and foot being constructed and arranged to initially grip the work at a point alongside said awl and hold the apertured portion of the work compressed until it is fed to the needle.

20. In a book-sewing machine, stitch-forming mechanism including a reciprocating needle, a reciprocating rotary awl, an awl-lubricating device mounted for movement in a path passing along one side or" said awl, and means for moving said awl-lubricating device upon each retraction of the awl from the work to cause said device to wipe the awl in passing alongside the latter.

21. In a book-sewing machine, stitch-forming mechanism including a reciprocating needle, a reciprocating rotary awl disposed a stitch-length in front of said needle, an awl-lubricator in front of said awl, and means for moving said awl-lubricator rearwardly to a position at one side of the plane of said needle and awl upon each retraction of the awl from the work.

PARK A. HERR. 

